On Friday, the Delhaize supermarket in Waterloo was once again closed to customers. A new strike quickly followed the ruling by the Nivelles Court of First Instance on Thursday, which restored the legality of pickets in Walloon Brabant province.
The union Secta had lodged an appeal against Delhaize's request to break up the pickets. In the ruling, which Belga was able to see, the judge noted that Delhaize "did not present any concrete element" to justify its demand for a strike picket ban until mid-June, adding that the chain "at no point clarified the concrete nature of the serious and difficult-to-repair damage" it claimed when filing the petition.
Less than 24 hours after the court ruled in favour of the unions, a picket line was formed outside the Waterloo Delahize. Staff could enter but customers were turned away.
Christophe Bouvier, permanent secretary of Setca-BW stated that the reason for the strike has not changed.
The unions are taking a stand against Delhaize's announcement on 7 March that it would be franchising its 128 self-managed shops, as the working conditions and wages of the employees are expected to decrease as a result. "We can't talk to Delhaize management, so we're closing the shops."
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However, the court's decision relates only to Walloon Brabant. "We hope that this ruling in Walloon Brabant will serve as a precedent for other judges, and lead to rulings that are a little more in our favour," Bouvier said.
There is another court order issued by the Brussels Court of First Instance, which bans pickets throughout Belgium.
Delhaize is looking to that order to lift the pickets until mid-June, RTBF reports. "There is a right to strike, but also a right to work, to continue our trading activities," a spokesperson said. The Walloon Brabant Secta is also expecting bailiffs to be sent to the pickets.
In Flanders, a case will be opened on Saturday in Ghent over the dispute between Delhaize management and trade unions. "There, the Walloon Brabant verdict should serve as an example," the BBTK union reiterated.
